Photo: Goudron92 / CC BY-SA 3.0 (Wikimedia Commons)
Little Spotted Kiwi
Apteryx owenii
Little Spotted Kiwi (Apteryx owenii) — Ratites & Tinamous of Australia & Oceania.
Found on 1 guide in our atlas — open it for the full checklist, photos and what's around right now.
The Little Spotted Kiwi (Apteryx owenii) is a member of the Apterygidae family found in Australia & Oceania. Adults weigh 1.2 kg. The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened.
Conservation status
IUCN Red List (opens in a new tab)Close to qualifying for a threatened category in the near future.
Where it fits
- Class Aves
- Order Apterygiformes
- Family Apterygidae Kiwis
- Genus Apteryx
- Species owenii
Where it lives
Kapiti I. (off southwestern North I.) and other predator-free satellites (New Zealand)
Quick facts
- Weight
- 1.2 kg
- Diet
- Invertebrate-eaters
- Family
- Apterygidae
- Order
- Apterygiformes
- Habitat
- Woodland
How to identify
Similar birds
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Vulnerable
Biology & behaviour
Diet
The Little Spotted Kiwi is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Behaviour
A bird of dense forest, it forages mainly on the ground.
Migration
The Little Spotted Kiwi is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
The Little Spotted Kiwi (Apteryx owenii) is a member of the Apterygidae family, within the order Apterygiformes. It is found across Australia & Oceania. Its distribution covers AU Kapiti I. (off sw North I.) and other predator-free satellites (New Zealand).
It is a very large bird. Adults weighs around 1.2 kg, with a wing length of about 0 cm and a tail of around 0 cm.
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened. That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
Its mapped global range covers an estimated 35 km² — a relatively restricted global range.
Songs & calls
Frequently asked questions
How big is the Little Spotted Kiwi?
The Little Spotted Kiwi is a very large bird that weighs around 1.2 kg.
Where does the Little Spotted Kiwi live?
The Little Spotted Kiwi is found across Australia & Oceania with a range covering AU Kapiti I. (off sw North I.) and other predator-free satellites (New Zealand), where it is typically found in wooded and forested habitats.
What family does the Little Spotted Kiwi belong to?
The Little Spotted Kiwi (Apteryx owenii) belongs to the Apterygidae family, in the order Apterygiformes.
What does the Little Spotted Kiwi eat?
The Little Spotted Kiwi is a invertivore — it feeds mainly on invertebrates such as insects and other small prey.
Does the Little Spotted Kiwi migrate?
The Little Spotted Kiwi is largely sedentary, staying within its range year-round rather than making regular long-distance migrations.
Is the Little Spotted Kiwi endangered?
The IUCN Red List lists it as Near Threatened That means it is close to qualifying as threatened and is worth keeping a careful eye on.
What sound does the Little Spotted Kiwi make?
3 real field recordings of the Little Spotted Kiwi — including its song and call — can be played in the Songs & calls section on this page, each credited to the recordist who captured it.
How large is the Little Spotted Kiwi's range?
The Little Spotted Kiwi has a mapped global range of about 35 km².
Conservation
Every bird benefits from bird-safe windows, native plants, and keeping cats indoors. Small changes at home add up to real protection.
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